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12 Virginia Restaurants that Serve Up the Best Brunch

Weekends are for relaxing while spending time with friends and family, and what better way to do that than a delicious brunch? We’ve compiled a few can’t-miss brunch spots around Virginia that are well known for excellent food, inventive craft cocktails, and all-around great service. This weekend, treat yourself to an incredible mid-morning meal at one of these impressive eateries.

Rudee’s on the Inlet—Virginia Beach

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 10:00am-2:00pm

Photo Credit: Patrick McLaughlin

Opened in 1983 in an old bait & tackle shop, Rudee’s on the Inlet is a popular spot for brunch enthusiasts in the Virginia Beach area. The brunch menu showcases the abundance of locally sourced seafood, with dishes like the Fresh Catch Fish, served broiled, fried, or grilled. Try one of the seven variations on Eggs Benedicts, including the Crabcakes Benedict or the Seafood Benedict, topped with shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat. Cocktail specials such as the house bloody Marys, mimosas, and screwdrivers run $4.75 during brunch.

Bistro L’Hermitage—Woodbridge

Brunch Hours: Saturdays & Sundays, 11:30am-2:30pm

If you didn’t already know about Bistro L’Hermitage, you would probably drive right past it, thinking it was just another quaint cottage home tucked away in an unassuming neighborhood. But this French bistro is not to be missed when it comes to brunch; serving items like an Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon and a raved-about Lobster Bisque, the restaurant consistently turns first-time visitors into regulars. A final tip—try the croissants, only available at brunch; you won’t be disappointed.

Vintage Restaurant—Orange

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 11:00am-2:00pm

Awarded Four Stars by the Forbes Travel Guide, Vintage Restaurant is located on the garden level of the upscale Inn at Willow Grove. Ingredients are locally sourced from Central Virginia farms, and the menu changes seasonally to utilize available produce. The menu focuses on regional American cuisine, adding their own special twist to each dish. The current brunch menu includes an array of carefully constructed dishes, like the French Toast Brick, made with mascarpone and a mixed fruit coulis, a Fried Green Tomato Bruschetta with smoked mozzarella, basil mayonnaise, poached egg, and fried potatoes, and a Shrimp & Grits served with a Redeye barbecue sauce.

Heritage—Richmond

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 10:30am-2:00pm

Since 2012, Heritage has been a staple in the historic Fan district of the capital city. The restaurant offers seasonal contemporary American cuisine, but the restaurant is especially known for their craft cocktail menu, which is wildly creative in both ingredients and execution. You’ll spend most of your visit watching the bartenders as they work their magic, mixing, shaking, and carefully crafting each impressive cocktail. The current brunch menu features several mouthwatering choices, from the Ramen Bowl with braised pork belly, kim chi, and a poached egg to their take on the southern staple of Chicken & Waffles, made with crispy chicken strips and a cheddar waffle, then topped with their homemade “hot” honey and scallions.

The River and Rail Restaurant—Roanoke

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 11:00am-2:00pm

Photo Credit: River and Rail Restaurant

Roanoke’s River and Rail Restaurant brings to mind a previous era when doors were left unlocked and home cooking was more of the rule rather than the exception. In a historic building that was previously Lipes Pharmacy, the restaurant has been fully restored to modern standards while still retaining the original character and charm of the former storefront. An open kitchen with pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, rustic wood floors, and exposed beams along the ceiling bring to mind an old southern farmhouse, a sentiment also reflected in the seasonally-changing menu. Everything is made in-house, from the house-cured meats and pickled vegetables to the Spicy Pork Rinds and Deviled Farm Eggs. For a main course, consider the Blackened Catfish, served with Beauregard sweet potatoes, carrots, Hakurei turnips, and country ham jus, or the Farm Egg Omelet with duck leg confit, wild mushrooms, Goat Lady chevre, and a green salad. Pair with one of the inventive cocktails from the bar or a cup of freshly brewed coffee, sourced from Floyd County’s Red Rooster Coffee Roasters.

Tula’s Restaurant and Bar—Washington

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 11:00am-3:00pm

Join Tula’s Restaurant and Bar on Sundays for a truly tasty brunch experience. Enjoy their traditional bloody Marys, made with a homemade tomato juice mixer, or try the “Naturally Blonde” Bloody, a mix imported from Charleston and made from yellow heirloom tomatoes, then topped with pickled okra. If you’re not a bloody Mary fan, the mimosas are an excellent alternative. Once you’ve picked out a delicious weekend beverage, you’ll have to make the difficult choice of choosing your entrée. The menu has all the traditional brunch favorites, such as Belgian waffles, make-your-own-omelets, and Eggs Benedict. Save room for dessert; Tula’s Southern Bread Pudding is an instant classic.

E&J’s Deli Pub—Waynesboro

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 11:00am-2:00pm

E&J’s Deli Pub serves up southern fare made with a variety of local ingredients, including eggs sourced from Polyface Farms and freshly made butter from Stuarts Draft. For brunch, we recommend the Chicken and Waffles, made with chicken tenders tossed in sweet fire sauce, the Breakfast Tacos, featuring bacon and eggs on a tortilla, topped with avocado and tomatoes, or their creamy and rich take on Biscuits & Gravy. Sip on one of the pub’s great brunch cocktails, such as the Black Butte Bloody Mary (Deschutes Black Butte Porter, tomato juice, bloody Mary mix, 1800 Reposado tequila, and an Old Bay rim) or the Rabbit Punch (Tito’s vodka, champagne, pineapple, orange, and lemon juice).

Golden Leaf Bistro—Danville

Brunch Hours: Saturday & Sundays, 11:00am-3:00pm

Located in a beautifully renovated tobacco warehouse in downtown Danville, Golden Leaf Bistro knows how to do a proper brunch. Mimosas, bloody Marys, and poinsettias, all made with fresh mix and juices created in-house, are just $5 each. The brunch menu features hearty dishes like the Southern Bacon & Egg Caesar Salad, Chicken and Waffles, and Classic Bistro Breakfast Scramble.

The Fitzroy—Charlottesville

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 10:30am-2:30pm

Photo Credit: Sarah Cramer Shields

The Fitzroy is an upscale eatery located on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall, but the prices for brunch are more than reasonable; the buffet-style brunch runs $9 for children 10 and under and $18 for adults. The menu is comprised of southern favorites like shrimp & grits, fried chicken & waffles, Goodwin Creek cinnamon buns, and freshly baked buttermilk biscuits, and the bar uses fresh-squeezed juices and house-made cordials to crafts unforgettable brunch cocktails. In addition to regular brunch drink options like bloody Marys and mimosas, you’ll find seasonal, creative drinks made with infusions that suit the adventurous brunch-goer: grapefruit-sage cordial, blackberry-mint bourbon, and chamomile-infused vodka.

Foti’s Restaurant—Culpeper

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 11:00am-3:00pm

If you’re the type of person that revels in change, consider visiting Foti’s in Culpeper for brunch. The cuisine blends Mediterranean flavors with other European and contemporary American dishes, creating a brand new menu each week to ensure that no two brunches are ever alike at the restaurant. The brunch menu is comprised of about a half dozen creative dishes; examples include a House-smoked Salmon Benedict, served on a crisp crostini with two poached eggs and spinach, then topped with hollandaise, Prosciutto-wrapped Eggs, prepared in a saffron-spiked tomato sauce on a garlic rubbed crostini, or the Foti’s Breakfast Gyro, made with gyro meat, two fried eggs, mozzarella cheese, and a house-made tzatziki. If you’re in the mood to sample the drinks, order one of the creative options from their brunch beverage menu, which features nearly 40 different craft cocktails.

Blackwall Hitch—Alexandria

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 10:00am-3:00pm

On the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria, Blackwall Hitch offers gorgeous views of the Potomac, an outstanding brunch buffet, and live jazz every Sunday during brunch. Fill your plate with fresh picks from the Seafood Station, including Virginia oysters, peel & eat shrimp, and smoked salmon, or if you’re feeling carnivorous, try a selection of freshly cut meats from the Carving Station. During brunch service at Blackwall Hitch, mimosas are only $1, while bloody Marys are just $2.50.

Isabella’s Italian Trattoria—Lynchburg

Brunch Hours: Sundays, 11:00am-2:00pm

Serving contemporary Northern Italian cuisine, Isabella’s Italian Trattoria partners with local farmers to highlight the best ingredients from central Virginia. The brunch menu consists of classic southern dishes with Northern Italian twists; favorites include the Italian Eggs Benedict, served on a slice of La Brea rosemary round with pancetta, poached eggs, and an Italian basil hollandaise, and the Biscuits & Gravy, with homemade Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chive buttermilk biscuits topped with house-made pork sausage in a creamy black pepper gravy and a sunny-side up egg garnish.

Need more suggestions for brunch in Virginia? Read Part 1 and Part 2 of our previous brunch series for additional ideas.